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The City Commission and Community Redevelopment Agency will meet via teleconference on Wednesday where in addition to an update on the coronavirus pandemic, they’ll look at approving funding limits for the CRA director, an anti-conversion therapy ordinance and giving more money to co-sponsored Cascades Park Amphitheater events.

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The City Commission and Community Redevelopment Agency will meet via teleconference on Wednesday(Photo: Tori Schneider/Tallahassee Democrat)

Both meetings will be streamed on the city’s Facebook page, talgov.com or WCOT Comcast and Century Link channel 13 starting at 3 p.m. Wednesday. Public comment for both meetings is being accepted online through 8 p.m. Tuesday at talgov.com/citizeninput.

COVID-19 update

Commissioners will get updates from 10 departments about the city’s response to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.

They will also review the progress of the utility relief program set up two weeks ago that allows customers to defer payments for six months and a Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency program set up to dole out $1 million in local stimulus dollars to businesses struggling to keep their doors open and make payroll.

Commissioners could revisit a motion by Mayor John Dailey at the March 25 IA meeting to make another $1 million available for individuals and non-profits – neither of which were eligible for the CEDR grant funding – struggling with unemployment and bills during coronavirus.

The move failed because it did not gain enough support from County Commissioners. No formal action has been made for Wednesday’s meeting, but city officials all approved the move at the Blueprint meeting.

Conversion therapy public hearing

Tallahassee is looking to join 22 other Florida jurisdictions that have adopted ordinances banning conversion therapy, a controversial program aimed at changing gender expression, attraction or sexual orientation, usually from same-sex to heterosexual. But it has also been linked to deep mental and physical health risks and suicide, opponents say.

City Attorney Cassandra Jackson was unable to identify any active conversion therapy programs in the capital city, but the ordinance would ban it within city limits.

On Monday, a coalition of groups including the Tallahassee Community Action Committee, the Tallahassee National Organization for Women, Florida People’s Advocacy Center and the Florida Center for Fiscal and Economic Opportunity, held an online news conference to urge the commission to pass the ban.

State lawmakers have filed legislation to ban conversion therapy statewide in recent years, but those measures — aimed at those under 18 — went nowhere.

CRA grant changes

The director of the Community Redevelopment Agency Wayne Tedder could be in a position to approve contracts and open purchase orders of up to $25,000 if approved.

Currently, Tedder can approve Business Facility Improvement Program, Ground-Floor Retail and Entertainments Facility, Large Event Grant and Promotional/Special Event Grant program purchases and open projects up to $10,000.

The move could mean a quicker response to citizen requests, according to CRA staff analysis.

Pumping more money into Cascades events

The Downtown CRA is looking to add $140,000 more into temporary support space for events at the Cascades Park Amphitheater.

The money would go toward maintaining a place for performers to rest and restroom facilities, catering space, generators, transportation of performers and equipment until the new support space – included in the large-scale hotel project being built – is done by the end of the year.

The money would cover the costs of eight events co-sponsored with the county of which two have been canceled, Word of South and Southern Shakespeare, but still have costs included. Both events are eligible for $20,000 in reimbursable expenses.

Other events this year that could benefit from the influx of cash include the JJ Grey & Mofro concert on Sept. 11, Boz Scaggs on Oct. 16, the Spooktacular Concert on Oct. 30 and the New Year's Eve concert and fireworks.

Contact Karl Etters at ketters@tallahassee.com or @KarlEtters on Twitter.